Stephen Conroy, Kim Carr set for 2016 federal election

Veteran federal MPs and Victorian factional heavyweights Stephen Conroy and Kim Carr look set to win their party's backing to recontest the 2016 federal election after a controversial party decision to bring forward senate preselections.

Fairfax Media understands the party's powerful administrative committee on Thursday evening voted to finalise pre-selections in coming weeks, a move designed in part to protect the two senators and factional bosses - the right-wing chieftain Conroy, and the left-wing Carr.

Party activists seeking internal reform are likely to be upset that the pre-selections are to be decided before new affirmative rules come into effect, and ahead of a debate about rule changes scheduled for next year.